Ok, I have to admit that I do like these covers. I just like how raw they are and how Kumi brings a sort of fierceness into the mix. It just seems so animalistic. Sure, her disgusting pink hair and dark blue nails are a bit of a throw-off, but I like the overall conception. Her hand also looks like a catcher’s mit. Like, it could possibly rip off her face. Her racoon eyes are also a little scary. I don’t know why she is nibbling her hand. Maybe she thinks it is sexy or maybe she just turned all cannibalistic. Despite those flaws, I still like it. It just seems emotional in some weird, dirty way.

* * * * *

1. Can We Go Back
2. Good☆day

Kuu, do you not know how to make good songs anymore? Well, Can We Go Back isn’t that bad a of a song, but it does sound like she is yelling throughout the entire chorus. I think the piano breakdown in the bridge is definitely the best part. It’s so Aishou-ish, but then she does the screeching thing, which is then followed by a lot of horrible ad-libbing in the last chorus. Also, why did their have to be so much English in this song? I already had a bad experience with “butterfries.” *glares at alan* Hmm, before I found out this song was going it was a cover, I thought it was going to be some sort of ballad. I even got a ballad feeling from the covers, but I was wrong. Meh, it probably would have sucked anyway. Anywho, Can We Go Back is a little sketchy, but her other four rock songs (Selfish, Ningyo Hime, HURRY UP!, and Hashire!) are a sketchy, so it’s not that big of a surprise.

Good☆day is definitely the saving-grace for this single. I always like Kuu’s cute songs… well, besides Come Over and Girls. This song is really bouncy and bubbly, full of yeas and the whole spiel. Oh, and is it just me, or does she actually sound better when she sings cute songs? This song definitely makes up for the hot mess that is Lick me♥. BEST SONG THIS ERA…. besides ECSTASY.

* * * * *

I think that Kuu keeps improving this era with each single she releases, but that really isn’t saying much. From the look of things, I’m not really excited for UNIVERSE. SUPERSTAR is like a crazy hot mess. I don’t think I want Koda Kumi to do rock songs anytime soon. She needs to go back and release upbeat songs like COLOR OF SOUL and m·a·z·e and amazing ballads like Pearl Moon and Believe. That style of music mixed with skanky synth songs like TABOO and BUT would be amazing, but I’m hoping for too much and no, I’m not asking for too much. I just want Kuu to “go back to the way we used to be.”

I can honestly say that I have no clue what BENI is trying to do here. She is just sitting in a long forgotten house, possibly thinking about how she can release such a horrible album that sells a lot, and then release such an amazing single then have it hit the daily charts at 29 then have it fall off. I do like this concept after all, but I would gotten rid of a few of the picture frames below the window. Plus, those blotches/water marks around her name are a little annoying, almost as annoying as the random bubbles on alan’s BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~ covers. The peeling paint is a nice touch, though. It reminds me of when volcanoes erupt and the lava destroys everything in its path, but eventually life will grown back, such as flowers. BENI is that flower and the volcano eruption was avex.

* * * * *

Sign

Goin’ luv u

KIRA☆KIRA☆ (DJ HASEBE REMIX)

BENI, in my opinion, didn’t release any amazing ballads during her BITTER&SWEET era except Beautiful World of course, but I don’t even listen to that song anymore. Sign, however, has been on repeat ever since I downloaded it. It doesn’t feature as prominent clapping beats like Koi Kogarete and Zutto Futari de do. Instead, it ops for amazing strings and piano. BENI even sounds better than she did before. I really do think the verses are better than chorus, but that was until she actually said, “Sign.” The last chorus is also interesting since she goes all crazy with the ad-libbing and stuff. I normally don’t like ad-libbing unless it’s done by Kuu and she doesn’t sound like a crack whore, but in Sign, I think it’s fine. I do think she could have doubled the chorus in the end, but oh well.

The song that I truly ❤ is Goin’ luv u. I have seen it spelled Gon’ luv u also, but for the sake of reviewing, I’m going to keep it as is. I think this song is like a mix a of stardust and CRUISE the WORLD, and for me, that’s amazing since I think both songs are amazing! In CRUISE the WORLD, she does a lot of ahhhhing and the song also features bouncy beats like Goin’ luv u does. The chorus of stardust features BENI’s higher register like Goin’ luv u. Anywho, this song is a must listen if you are a fan of catchy songs or anything particularly amazing… just saying.

I really liked KIRA☆KIRA☆ back on BITTER&SWEET, and KIRA☆KIRA☆(DJ HASEBE REMIX) makes the song almost as amazing. I don’t really like any of the other DJ HASEBE remixes, but I just like KIRA☆KIRA☆ so much. I really do like how everything is set at a faster pace. It just makes it more fun to sing! Hitomi Shimatani’s farewell is another fun song like that. Besides the annoying guy counting every three seconds and that weird girlish guy making sexual sounding grunts, this remix isn’t that bad.

* * * * *

BENI really knows how to start a new era. I truly think this single would have been way worse if BITTER&SWEET would have flopped, but thankfully it didn’t. I actually do think this single is the best single of the singles released on January 20th and I do think it’s sad that BENI is going back to her floppy ways, but what can you do? Maybe the public thought she would release more things like BITTER&SWEET so they pulled back or maybe she’s just not promoted enough. Maybe she just isn’t a single seller, but she should be if she keeps making amazing b-sides like Goin’ luv u. I think that song beats Koda Kumi’s Good☆day as best song of 2010 so far. Everyone needs to listen to BENI. If you don’t she could pull a Shimatani and become pretty much nonexistent despite their amazing talent.

I just want to point out that I’m not happy with these covers. I cannot understand why everyone thinks they are so amazing. For one, it looks like Ayu has diseased nails. It like she caught whatever alan had for her Voice of EARTH photo shoot and got it worse. Also, her hair is gray/dark brown. We all know your old Ayu, but not that old. She could have at least dyed her eyebrows the same color. At least she isn’t blonde anymore. That’s just horrific. I do have to say though that I do like her facial expression. It’s like a not completely there/stoned druggy look, but at least she isn’t a corpse. Nope, she saved that for the CD-ONLY version.

* * * * *

You were…

BALLAD

RED LINE ~for TA~

You were… (Music Box mix -retake version-)

Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Orchestra version)

Oh Ayu, I don’t care how much everyone thinks You were… is just a lesser version of Together When… and Days’ baby (even though it kinda is), I still like this song. It IS better than Days in my opinion, especially since it isn’t as cheery. One of my problems with this song is the music doesn’t really flow right. The piano and guitar chords are like at the same level of loudness and it’s a little headache inducing. It’s not that bad though. I believe my favorite part is either her singing part at the end of the bridge or when she adds twinges of emotion in the last choruses by changing a few of the notes. She does sound a little strained in the chorus though. She just needs to try not sound (her idea of) good.

YES! I have been wanting another oriental ballad seeing as alan isn’t doing them anymore, and Ayu totally delivers with the aptly named BALLAD. I eat up anything oriental sounding and this song is not difference. Ayu just sounds so solemn and lonely throughout the entire thing and ballads like that are just WIN! I do think she could have sung higher in parts, but I do like how the song is set up. Haha, I remember when I said that BALLAD was just the unused version of alan’s BALLAD ~Namonaki Koi no Uta~,but I was wrong. BALLAD is the better song, and yes, that is the Ayu-stan talking.

Ugh, I feel like such a bad Ayu fan. I have to admit, though, that I did not like RED LINE ~for TA~ when I first heard it. The verses were really nice, but the chorus… not so much. The song just focuses too much on percussion for my liking, but after around forty listens, I started liking it more. There is no way that I’m not going to include an original Ayu song on my iPod, so I’m glad the song grew on me. In fact, Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru are the only two artists where I have every one of their original songs on my iPod. Sure, RED LINE isn’t as amazing as some of Ayu’s other b-sides like Ever Free and theme for a-nation ’03, but it’s definitely not a throw-away song. Oh, and what the hell Ayu? I thought you lost your ability to sing like this? She so could have hit the notes in You were… and not sound like a frog thats been out of water too long. Whatevs….

However, that is not the case with You were… (Music Box mix -retake version-). This song takes out everything I like about You were… and adds an even more stressed Ayu, but I think that’s just because they got rid of all the background vocals. It does sound innocent in some ways, but the tinkling does get annoying after a little while. Strings (I believe)do appear during the bridge, but it’s a little too late. Winding of a music box is also added. For the last choruses, an organ is added, which makes it a lot more interesting, but like I said, it’s just too late.

I do like Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (Orchestra Version) though. I didn’t think I would because it is a remix of Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ after all, but the orchestration does help a bit. I still think the background vocals are really cheesy, and this calmer version does not help to conceal that fact. Sadly, this new version doesn’t make it epic, which usually happens when songs are orchestrated. Just listen to MY STORY Classical. Moments is just <3!

* * * * *

I’m happy Ayu decided to release a double ballad a-side. It just seems like she hasn’t released any in a year, or at least any good ballads. IMO, I think Together When… was her last “good” ballad, and that was way back in 2008. BALLAD was definitely the strongest song on this single. You were… also isn’t as bad as people make it out to be, but I would have liked her to do a few things differently. RED LINE was a little awkward at first, but it has its moments. The remixes were totally unneccessary though. Maybe she should have made a Sparkle ~Ballad Version~ instead? No… that would have been awful.

Also, for some weird reason, I feel like Ayu is going to release another single before her next album. Sure, she has only been releasing two singles per album since Secret, but I think she might do something different. Maybe it might just happen if she (avex) wants to beat out Seiko Matsuda for most consecutive number one singles by a female artists, but who knows? Oh, and congrats for placing ninth in making the most money in 2009 Ayu!

Who do you think will win the Singles War on January 20?

Answer

Votes

YUI

25-51%

Koda Kumi

17-35%

Kalafina

6-12%

Mika Nakashima

1-2%

Saori@destiny

0-0%

My vote went to: YUI

Well, it was pretty obvious that YUI is going to to sell the most on January 20, but after listening to her new single GLORIA, I don’t think she should. It’s just too much of the same old stuff, especially the part right before the chrous (Tomorrow’s way anyone?). Koda Kumi definitely should win tomorrow, but she won’t since it is limited and she is Kuu. Good☆day is just that good. Koda Kumi, Hitomi Shimatani, and Ai Otsuka should be the only ones allowed to do cute songs. Everyone else just fails! After listening to Hikari no Senritsu from Kalafina, I’m happy it didn’t get so many votes. It’s not so great. Neither is ALWAYS from Mika Nakashima. She needs to knock the fuck off with the awful ballads. I just couldn’t get into ALWAYS or Nagareboshi. BABY BABY BABY was OK, but SPIRAL was just what I needed. Poor Saori@destiny, though. No votes for her. =(

Crazy Lesbian Time or Just Lazy? CHECK OUT THE NEW POLL!

After listening to PAST<FUTURE 42 whole times, FAST CAR 72 times, Bad Habit 54 times, LOVE GAME 97 times, and Shut Up 76 times, I decided to listen to my other Namie Amuro albums all the way from ORIGINAL DANCE TRACKS VOLUME 1 to now. She has definitely changed throughout the years, for the better and the worse. When she was with TK, she would make more emotional sounding songs, like Me Love Peace!! from Concentration 20 (yes, I like that song) or ASKING WHY from GENIUS 2000. Now she makes more dance driven songs like ALARM and No. I even listened to the songs in order. Throughout this journey though, one song stood out the most.

Unlike most people, I actually liked her STYLE era. SO CRAZY and Come were <3, as were Four Seasons, Put ‘Em Up and even Fish feat. VERBAL & Arkitec. None of those songs could compare to Did U from her Wishing on the Same Star single, though. It has the most amazing music I have ever heard in any song that doesn’t sound oriental. I do not know why she never had it as an A-side or at least put it on an album and I don’t think she has a lot of good b-sided besides this song and STROBE from ALARM. She totally pulled something amazing from the woodwork with this song though. So far I have listened to it 53 times and I still can’t get enough! It is emotional in an emotionless way…. ya. It’s just amazing, that’s what.

And what does Ayu have to say about all of this?

Bitch pa-leaze! The only reason people are still buying your music is out of obligation. They already have all your other junk and they just want to keep their collection complete, but that is starting to not even become a good enough reason. Besides, Amuro could slam your plastic-ass face straight into the ground. Ya, she’ll cut a bitch.

In all seriousness, Did U is a song EVERYONE should check out, even if you aren’t an Amuro fan.

What do you think of Kumi releasing her new album and BEST together?

As long as the her new album, UNIVERSE, has good songs on it, I’ll be fine

16-34%

It’s retarded. People don’t like Kuu as much as they used to, and if avex thinks this is going to help, they are confused.

14-30%

It’s going to flop… hard.

15-32%

Koda Kumi is going to regain a little popularity… for now.

1-2%

Who cares about that cesspool of skankiness anymore?

1-2%

My vote went to: As long as her new album, UNIVERSE, has good songs, I’ll be fine.

I honestly wish I would have put an all of the above answer after the third option since thats what my true feelings on this whole deal are. I don’t care if it flops as long as the album has good songs. Any of my artists can flop as long as they release good songs except Ayu. If she gets number two with this single I will be angry. I also think it stupid of avex to release this album with a BEST OF. Sure, BEST OFs generally sell well, but releasing an original album with it is pointless. That isn’t going to sell more albums. The only people who buy the original album were most likely going to buy the BEST OF anyway. Anyway, it just wouldn’t be natural if an artist didn’t have any fans in self-denial or people who just wish to see them gone, so I’m glad someone voted for the last two answers!

Hmmm… could this be the war of the Diva’s?

CHECK OUT THE NEW POLL!

No, this post has nothing to do with BoA’s horrible single which would have
been better if freakin’ VERBAL had a horrible throat disease and couldn’t sing, but oh well. I’m actually referring to my top ten artists in my about page. I have decided that this artist is much better than Rina Aiuchi and half of the artists in that list and that would be…

… Akina Nakamori! I started listening to her after she released her song DIVA -Single Version- back in September. After hearing that amazingness, I knew I had to go seaching for more of her songs. I remember reading about her in articles about Ayumi Hamasaki and Seiko Matsuda (who was Akina’s supposed rival). She also has been in the business for a freakin’ long time; since 1982! Oh. and if you think Ayu and Kuu are release happy, Akina has released 23 original albums overall. In the 80s, she would release 2 albums a year which is ridiculous. Out of those 23 albums, the only album i have not heard are SHAKER, Resonancia, and I hope so. She has a lot of amazing songs, but there are four that stood out:

1. I Missed “The Shock” – How can I explain such an amazing song? Even though it was released back in 1988, it sounds like it could have been released in this era of music. This song is just so fun and catchy, and even though Akina was just trying to recreate the success of DESIRE ~Jounestu~, this song came out sounding much better.

2. FOGGY RELATION – Yet another amazing song from this deep voiced songstress is FOGGY RELATION which is found on her album STOCK, released in 1988. This song still sounds amazing after all these years. The chorus is especially amazing, like when she says, “Love is fiction” in the first two choruses and then, “Love is reality” in the last chorus. Yep, amazing song.

3. BLOWING FROM THE SUN – One of the very few ballads that I like from Akina, BLOWING FROM THE SUN is a very solemn and simplistic track. It was released on one of her newer album, SPOON, back in 1998. Her deep voice really works in this song and it just sounds epic.

4. Ophelia – Released on the album after SPOON, will, in 1999, Ophelia epitomizes the essence of catchiness and emotion, both of which are entwined into one. It’s just crazy amazing. Even though I have no clue what she is saying, and when I put the Romaji lyrics into a translator I became even more confused, I don’t know if it has anything to do with Ophelia in Hamlet, but who knows.

These songs, in my opinion, are some of Akina’s career defining songs. Even though she has a lot more songs, and songs that sound radically different from these ones, I think these songs are better. I think these songs are even better than the majority of music released today. She’s just that good.

Here are some more of Akina Nakamori’s songs that I particularly like.

In other news, I have to proclaim that Amy Tan is amazing! I love all of her books. The only one I haven’t read is The Bonesetter’s Daughter.

Also, I plan on changing my blog theme if I can find a theme where you can upload banners to a site like PhotoBucket and just not upload them from your computer directly to your blog since that just worsens the picture quality.

And in my opinion, I was right. To me, PLAY just doesn’t have a high replay value… even though I replayed it over 50 times as a whole. I don’t know if I would consider it the best thing ever, but I do think PAST<FUTURE is definitely one of the best original albums this year.

Don’t forget about the new poll!

Sadness! I liked the overly photo shopped BEST FICTION pictures! Anyway, I really this cover. There are only two three things that I deem extremely horrific: the font, Namie’s pale ass skin, and her curly hair. I have nothing against curly hair, but I think she look better with straight hair or wispy curled hair like for BEST FICTION. Straight hair makes Namie look fierce and bitchy, which is what I picture her as when she out there touring and dancing her skinny ass off. As for her skin, I don’t know why it look so pale. Maybe she became a vampire and she is ripping up her old self because she was made of plastic and she had no blood. Maybe she is representing her new PAST self. She does look like a flapper with her curly hair, pale skin and red lipstick combo, and the silver dress (I’m thinking the vampire idea…). The font is just awful. Why the Past in the stupid crossed font? Why is a silver font put on a background that makes it hard to see? Oh well, it’s just the font, and there are always those pictures that don’t have it. Oh, and why is the title according to Oricon PAST<FUTURE when the cover say Past<Future? Obviously no one cares.

* * * * *

FAST CAR

COPY THAT

LOVE GAME

Bad Habit

Steal my Night

FIRST TIMER feat. DOBERMAN INC.

WILD

Dr.

Shut Up

MY LOVE

The Meaning Of Us

Defend Love

The PAST immediately gets in our faces with FAST CAR. Even though I consider it a past song, I can’t really relate it to anything in her past discography. This song, like many of Namie’s songs, deals with sex. Jeez Namie! Your a 32 year old mother! You don’t want your son’s friends coming over to your house to “give it up,” do you? Anyway, I like this song. It’s funky and fresh, just what I need after a series of disappointments in the JPop industry this year.

I have been obsessed with COPY THAT ever since the song leaked. I think the chorus is extremely catchy, and even though she repeats it like crazy, I still can’t get enough! Also, is it a bad thing that the intro of the song reminds me of Australia? Hmmm, satisfaction is definitely guaranteed, unless you don’t like Namie’s higher vocals or the amazingly heavy outro. I’m a little sad they shortened it and made it fade out, especially after I got used to it.

LOVE GAME is the song that I have been playing constantly since the PV debuted. I don’t know why I like it so much, especially when the chorus is a little monotonous. Even with that fact, I have listened to this song song almost 60 times. This song also breaks the flow of past to future songs. When I saw the tracklist before I heard any of the songs, I thought the first six were going to feature songs of a more jazzy nature like in PLAY. Namie has instead decided to start using synths and electro beats. … Anywho, this song reminds me of a a futuristic ALARM, and I love ALARM.

At first, I didn’t really know what to think of Bad Habit. It features oriental chants in my opinion, which is extremely noticable in the chorus, electronic synths, spacy sounds, and Namie’s awkward english. I really didn’t like the way she said habit at first, but I have gotten used to it. Her english is amazing when she says, “Can’t stay away.” It’s pretty great for being so short.

At first, I thought we were going to get an elctronic Spanish flavored song, and I wasn’t to far off, but this Steal my Night just features to many heavy beats and claps and snaps (even though the snaps do help, like in the chorus) to be classified as such. I’m going to agree and say that Namie’s english pretty much mimics Meisia Kuroki’s english, namely when she says “baby you can do it” and “breakin’ my rules.” She also sounds like Kuroki in the next verse in the same places. This song is the first slip so far, but it’s not a very big one. I think the bridge is the best part overall. It’s not that boring, as Namie points out, but I can see why some people aren’t fond of it.

I first thought that we were coming into the “true” future of the album, but I was wrong. Namie has instead fallen flat on her face in a sh!t. FIRST TIMER feat. DOBERMAN INC. features electronic sounds, but Rn’B vocals, if that makes sense. The way she harmonizes her voice with herself by singing the background reminds me of CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T EAT, I’M SICK. The dumb guy, who I’m guessing is DOBERMAN INC. (oh, let’s just pick the douchiest name that anyone can think of!), sucks at life. He can’t sing to save his life. He just makes this song sound even messier and his solo is atrocious. I never want to hear the word touch again! The only part of the song I enjoy is when everyone finally shuts up at the very end and I can actually hear the music.

Oh WILD, you sure are amazing. Even after listening to this song for almost twelve months, I still don’t get tired of it. The beats are just plain catchy and Namie’s english isn’t completely unbearable, well except when she does the finger/belly/toes thing. Does she say short sleeves during that part? If she doesn’t, I feel like an idiot. The distorted chipmunk-ish voice is a nice touch too, if it’s even a voice…

Dr. may have received a lot of bashing from a lot of people, but I don’t know why. I like how chaotic it sounds, mainly during the marching beat with the slow part following. The beat to this song is actually pretty fast overall though. Namie’s english is good, too and I find the chorus catchy, pretty much like almost every song on the album. This probably is the most futuristic song in a literal sense on the album, but I think the majority of the songs so far represent a new chapter for Namie. This song is much fun to sing along with and it doesn’t hurt that it sounds a little heart-felt. GOOD JOB!

What the hell is this song about? Did the writer of Kuu’s Black Cherry take over the intro of Shut Up? Few, at least it doesn’t last that long. Shut Up sounds amazing, to put it plainly. By just looking at the title I imagined something like TOP SECRET or THE SPEED STAR, but I’m happy I was wrong. Namie doesn’t do a lot of rock sounding songs. In fact, I don’t really consider this a rock song, but an AMAZING song. Does she say, “I understand the bad side of life” in this song? It sure sounds like it. Anyway, I can’t stress enough how much I love this song. Namie sounds emotional, which is a feat in its own. Best song on the album hands down.

Bleh. I never liked MY LOVE and I still don’t. First of all, she repeats my love way to much, even though she repeats every chorus on this album to a certain extreme. She just gets carried away. I don’t like Namie’s cute vocals as much as her angry/sexy/deep vocals, and this song is pretty much created on the idea of stuffed animals and fuzzy kittens. The bridge is ok, but is ruined by the obnoxious sounding gay guy saying ok. NO! IT’S NOT OK! Namie was on somewhat of a flow with the past songs, but with MY LOVE, things just turn discombobulated upside down.

Oh, Namie actually puts a somewhat good ballad on an album. I don’t and won’t consider The Meaning of Us an amazing ballad, but Namie does have the ability to sing ballads, no matter how much she likes to deny it. I think it’s leagues better than Should I Love Him?, but maybe I just got sick of that song. In fact, I’m pretty much sick of everything on PLAY. I think Namie needs to recreate another I WILL or HimAWArI (the on on LOVE ENHANCED♥single collection, not the one on break the rules). Oh well, I don’t go to Namie for ballads anyway.

Keeping up with the literal futuristic scene is Defend Love. Why would this song be put as the last song, especially since it comes right after a ballad. Meh. Anyway, this song is pretty much the darkest sounding song on the album. It can be pretty intense at times, but that all melts away when we come to the calm bridge, but that to soon fades. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get into this song. It isn’t very Namie, but maybe that’s what she was trying to accomplish. Not a great song, and not a great conclusion in my opinion.

* * * * *

Oh Namie! I’m so glad you finally released something! It doesn’t hurt that you put out something almost on the edge of amazing either. I believe Namie did achieve the futuristic sound she was looking for, but I think if you want to compare this album to another album in her discography, look at Queen of Hip-Pop. I think this entire concept is just a reaction to the success of BEST FICTION. Maybe she is just trying to say that she doesn’t need amazing sales to be happy or motivated to do work. It’s pretty obvious she loves her work since she tours like a mad woman (73 F***KING CONCERTS!?!). She also likes to dance her like a maniac (…) or else she wouldn’t do as many beat orientated songs. -Back to the album- Even though Namie had a few slip ups and the flow got a little freaky towards the end, I enjoyed the entirety of the album. There are parts (and when I say parts, I mean parts) of each song that I find enjoyable, but the majority of songs I think are very dance inducing and fantastic. All I have left to say is… LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! (but if she screws up in anyway or if Ayumi somehow manages to pull another I am… out of her ass, I will be the first to usurp a bitch)

What do you think of You were…/BALLAD’s covers?

They are half-way decent, but anything is better than Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ at this point.

21–55%

OMG! They are so amazing! The Empress is BACK! *splurge*

14–37%

She looks like a lifeless corpse. Ayu’s back!

3–8%

She looks like a drunken hooker who died but wrapped herself up in a dead bird first.

0–0%

My vote went to: They are half-way decent, but anything is better than Sunrise/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ at this point.

This poll definitely shows that Sunrise/Sunset’s covers sucked. I’m happy no one voted for the drunken, dead bird Ayu answer (even though I would completely understand if they did). I also have to agree that Ayu does look like a lifeless corpse, and she has done that before like on a few the GREEN/Days covers as the most recent example. Another weird thing is that I can also agree with the people who really loved the covers. The CD+DVD version A cover looks really nice and beats out all of her covers since Together when… if that cover counts.

Now I’m going to talk about the songs. I (like pretty much every Ayu fan) LOVE them. You were… is NOT a rip off of Days. It is 100X better than Days. Sure the PV is a little “out there” (in a bad way), but we got good covers so we know Ayu is already trying her lazy-diva-bitch-back-the-fuck-off best. As for BALLAD, all I have to say is AMAZING! Sure, it might be the unused version of alan’s BALLAD since it is all oriental and Ayu does do the cry/yelling vibrato thing a lot which is where alan’s wailing would have been I presume. Pretty much anything oriental is a plus for me.